There has been a known method for running trains with less energy consumption by generating running profiles employed to reduce the energy consumption with use of coasting while maintaining a running time.
In general, running profiles for a running train in a relatively short station interval have a pattern in which the train accelerates to a near maximum speed and shifts to coasting, and then applies brakes to decelerate when approaching a next station and come to a stop, or a pattern in which the train travels at a predetermined constant speed for a short period of time after accelerating and then applies brakes to decelerate when approaching a next station and come to a stop. In such a running pattern, it is possible to extend a coasting section according to a margin time set for a station interval, or replace with coasting, neighboring points around a changeover point between a constant speed and a deceleration or between an acceleration and a deceleration, namely a braking following power running, which leads to reducing the operation of a driving device to a minimum and reducing heat loss, and thus reducing the energy consumption.
Meanwhile, during a longer station interval, the distance that train travels at a constant speed increases, therefore, the train may apply brakes following power running in order to maintain the constant speed. On an upgrade, the train needs a driving force to maintain the speed whereas, on a steep downgrade, the train needs to apply the brakes because it accelerates without the driving force. Accordingly, when running through a grade change point at a constant speed, the train performs power running and braking successively. The energy consumption can also be reduced in the section in the middle of constant-speed running by appropriately replacing power running and braking with coasting.
However, there is no known method of determining at which timing the train starts coasting during constant-speed running.
A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a running profile generation device, an operation assistance device, an operation control device, and a running profile generation method which can easily insert a coasting section into a constant-speed running section and thereby reduce the energy consumption of running trains.